CareSearch Updates

Supporting National Palliative Care Week

This month we are supporting National Palliative Care Week with its focus on ‘Getting to the heart of it: Big Questions. Real Answers’. Evidence shows that when palliative care conversations start earlier, care is more closely aligned with what matters most to people, and distress for loved ones is reduced. Experience tells us that meaningful conversations don’t always begin with direct questions. Sometimes it’s a gentle prompt, or a single thoughtful question that opens the door.

To help raise awareness, our team have been supporting local events in collaboration with Flinders University, Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying (RePaDD), our partner projects and the Southern Adelaide Palliative Service (SAPS). We also asked Flinders University colleagues some big questions about what comes to mind when they heard ‘palliative care’ and compared this to our student survey last year. It’s great to see that staff and students are aligned in their understanding of palliative care.

Posted: 18/05/2026

National Palliative Care Week blog series

This five-part National Palliative Care Week blog series by Amber Bisset, Mariana Ricci and Kate Swetenham, highlights how the Palliative Care Connect (PCC) service supports people, families, carers, and professionals across South Australia.

Reflecting this year’s theme, the series explores some of the important questions people may face when navigating palliative care, grief, bereavement, and access to support, while highlighting the value of compassionate guidance, clear information, and connection when it matters most.

Posted: 17/05/2026

CareSearch at Palliative Care Evening 2026

The CareSearch team will be attending the Brisbane North PHN Palliative Care Evening on 28 April 2026 in Brisbane. This event brings together primary care professionals to explore key palliative care supports and services, and to strengthen capability in enabling quality care at home.

Primary healthcare plays a vital role in supporting people to receive palliative care at home. We’re here to support primary care professionals with practical resources and tools to build confidence in delivering quality palliative care.

Come and say hello to our Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Seth Nicholls, at Table 9 to learn more about CareSearch resources for primary care professionals.

Posted: 15/04/2026

Preparing for the future: Starting a platform redevelopment project

The CareSearch Project Team has begun an exciting redevelopment of our digital platform, not just a website rebranding or rebuild, but something more fundamental. Over the coming months, we’ll be quietly developing the framework for our system that enable us to move confidently into the future that enhances security, functionality, and access to evidence-based resources.
Our current site will keep providing trustworthy information, resources, and learning tools while the platform redevelopment is underway.

Read the full update from our Director, Professor Jennifer Tieman.

Posted: 17/03/2026

Staff Changes

Welcome

We would like to welcome to the Dr Olivia Farrer to the CareSearch including palliAGED team. Olivia has taken on the Senior Research Fellow role leading our CareSearch and palliAGED activities.

Olivia brings knowledge and skills in allied health, aged care and education to our project.

Posted: 20/02/2026

CareSearchgp app: RACGP Accepted Clinical Resource

The CareSearchgp app supports GPs in delivering quality palliative care across the life course. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has included the app as an accepted clinical resource. This factsheet (809kb pdf) provides information on the GP app.

Posted: 27/01/2026